Beech F33A accident near Goleta, California, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 4:22 am local time, a Beech F33A, registered N22BW, was destroyed in an accident near Goleta, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1985 · about 4:22 am local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N22BW · no longer on the register · serial CE-476
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE DESTN ARPT (SANTA YNEZ) WAS DIRECTLY AHEAD AT 12 MI, HE REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE & RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED. ABOUT 9 MIN LATER, HE REESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT (WITH ARTCC) & REPORTED HE WAS NOT SURE OF HIS PSN. THE CONTROLLER TOLD THE PLT THE ACFT WAS TOO LOW FOR HIS RADAR & ADVISED HIM TO CONTACT SANTA BARBARA RAPCON FOR ASSISTANCE. AFTER CONTACTING RAPCON, HE REPORTED HE WAS DISORIENTED & WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE DESTN ARPT. THE ACFT WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED & THE PLT CONFIRMED A MODE C ALT OF 1300'. HE WAS CAUTIONED ABOUT THE TERRAIN ELEV & WAS GIVEN A HDG TOFLY. THE PLT SAID HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A DSCNT, CRASHED & BURNED ABOUT 8 MI SOUTH OF SANTA YNEZ, NEAR THE COAST. IMPACT WAS ON ROLLING TERRAINAT AN ELEV OF APRX 95' MSL. THE TERRAIN ROSE TO APRX 4000' BTN THE CRASH SITE & THE ARPT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S SPLEEN & LIVER FLUIDS SHOWED ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.124% & 0.130%.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 13, 1984; 112 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 3:22 am
- Destination: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from SBA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.